Syphon mechanism



Nov. 20, 1962 R. A. PETRUSEK SYPHON MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 9. 1956 I J k u 7 5.9:: MM 7% u "m em I W I r A, m W R M Q\ 3 ATTORNEYS Nov. 20, 1962 R. A. PETRUSEK 3,064,571

SYPHON MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 9. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

Roberf A. Pefrusek INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflfice 3,%4,67l Patented. Nov. 20, 1962 3,i64,671 SYPHON MECHANESl /I Robert A. Petrnsek, Steenson Holiow, Rte. 1, Sheifield, Ala.

Original application Oct. 9, 1956, Ser. No. 614,894, new Patent No. 2,971,647, dated Feb. 14, 1961. Divided and this application Feb. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 7,534

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-142) .The present invention relates to syphon mechanism, and more particularly to an automatically operated device for initiating syphon operation.

The present application is a division of my prior copending application Serial No. 614,894, filed October 9, 1956, now Patent Number 2,971,647.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a syphon mechanism including automatically operated means for effecting initiation of a syphoning operation.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a syphon including a vacuum connection to the discharge leg of the syphon, and valve means for controlling the application of vacuum thereto to initiate a syphoning operation.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for repeatedly measuring predetermined volumes of liquid and supplying them sequentially to a receptacle, a syphon for withdrawing liquid from the receptacle to a predetermined level below the maximum level of liquid therein, means for applying vacuum to the discharge leg of the syphon, and timing means for discharging a predetermined quantity of liquid into the receptacle, thereafter establishing a predetermined settling period, and finally initiating the application of vacuum to the discharge leg of the syphon to withdraw air from the leg to initiate operation of the syphon.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system which includes liquid measuring apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FXGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2, FEGURE 1 showing a syphon used in the complete 1 system.

in foundries and foundry laboratories is performed by the use of Standard American Foundry Society clay content testers. Clay is defined by the American Foundry Society as anything. that will not settle in still Water at a rate faster than one inch per minute. In using the standard clay contenttester, a sample of molding sand is placed in a dry cylinder and suitable distilled water is added to fill the cylinder to a, proper height. The mixture of clay, sand and water is agitated and allowed to settle for a suitable period. At the end of this period, the laboratory technician performing the test syphons oil a suitable amount of the fluid, depending on the period during which the mixture has been allowed to settle, and then refills the cylinder to a proper height and subsequently allows the mixture to again settle. Suflicient stirring action is accomplished by the water as it i poured into the cylinder. At the end of the next interval, water is again syphoned 011 and more Water is added. This cycle of pouring distilled water into the cylinder, allowing the mixture of sand, clay and water to settle for a period and then syphoning off a suitable amount of the Water and starting the cycle over continues until the mixture is clear, not murky. This phase of the test may required a considerable expenditure of time and effort on the part of the laboratory technician whose presence is necessary for correct timing and syphoning action. Once the mixture is clear, the excess water is drawn ofi and the sand dried and weighed. The loss in Weight is reported as clay content. The present invention eliminates the necessity for the presence. of the laboratory technician during the various cycles of adding water and then syphoning the Water on.

The present invention is more particularly concerned with the syphon mechanism and controls therefor, However, for a full understanding the entire system will be briefly described.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the variou views, and with initial attention directed to FIGURE 1, it Will be noted that there is provided an intake conduit iii which is adapted to be connected through a rubber hose 12 or any other suitable connector to a source of distilled water such as a water jug or the like. A solenoid actuated valve 14 is provided in the conduit 10 for controlling the flow of fluid through the conduit 10 to a closed reservoir 16. The solenoid type valve 14 is of conventional construction and is controlled by means of excitation of coil 18.

When the valve 14 is opened, flow of fluid through the conduit 10 will cause the reservoir 16 to become filled. Entrapped air in the reservoir 16 will pass out through conduit 2% and thence out of an opening, as at 22, formed in a valve actuator 24 to which the conduit 20 is connected. As can be seen best in FIGURE 3, the valve actuator 24 includes a housing 26 havinga float 28 mounted therein. There is also provided a microswitch 39 which is operated upon the rise of the float 28. When, by gravity flow through the conduit 10, the reservoir 16 becomes filled with fiuid, the fluid will flow through the conduit 21' and into the housing 26, causing the float 28 to rise and actuating the micro-switch 30. When the micro-switch 36 is actuated, the circuit through the coil 18 will be interrupted closing the valve 14, cutting off the flow of distilled water into the reservoir 16 and into the housing 26.

Connecting the reservoir 16 with a receptacle 32 formed by the Standard American Foundrymen Society tester is a conduit 34. The receptacle 32 is located directly below the outlet of the conduit 34. A solenoid valve 36, similar to the solenoid valve 14 and controlled by excitation of the coil 38, controls flow of fluid through the conduit 34 and, like the valve 14, the valve 36 is controlled by any suitable timing means, such as the timer 40. When the proper time arrives to fill the receptacle 32, the timer 40 opens the solenoid valve 36 and distilled water in the reservoir 16 flows out into the receptacle 32 through conduit 34, Water in the housing 24 drains back to the reservoir 16. Since this flow of fluid out of the reservoir 16 will cause the micro-switch 30 to cause the valve 14 to open, a simple relay 35 is employed in a series type electrical connection Which prevents the valve 14 from opening whenever the valve 36 isopen.

Valve 36 remains open for a suitable period as determined by the timer, after which time it closes. The valve 14 then opens so as to fill the reservoir 16. The timer permits a suitable period to elapse, after which the valve 36 closes. At the end of this interval, a suitable vacuum apparatus of any convenient construction is actuated and this vacuum-inducing apparatus (not shown) "take port of the syphon. j broken and the syphon drains.

- the level of water in the receptacle.

operation.

may be controlled by the timer 40 or any other suitable timing means. The vacuum-inducing apparatus may be connected by a suitable hose 41 to a conduit 42 which is connected to a cylindrical member 44 forming the main syphoning means of the invention. This syphoning means, which can be best seen in FIGURE 2, includes the cylindrical valve chamber 44 which has a valve seat 46 which duit 48 connecting the chamber 44 to the discharge leg of the syphon 50 which extends into the receptacle 32 a predetermined distance so as to assure that a given amount of fluid in the receptacle 32 will be syphoned oif due to the action of the syphoning means. An overflow ..tank 52 is, of course provided.

Within the chamber 44 is a valve member 54 which may be made of soft rubber, or the like, and which is is controlled by the timer 40 or any other convenient timing means. When the valve 54 is lifted oft" the valve seat 56, the vacuum-inducing means can cause syphoning ac- 'tion and the withdrawal of fluid from the receptacle 32.

It will of course be understood that the syphon 50, once its operation is initiated, continues to syphon liquid vfrom the receptacle 32 until the level of liquid reaches the in- At this time the vacuum is The lower end of the discharge leg of the syphon extends into the waste receptacle or tank 52 below the level of the liquid therein.

In the operation of the complete system, a measured quantity of liquid is discharged into the receptacle 32,

the energy of the discharge being suflicient to eflect the necessary agitation of the suspension of sand and clay in the water. An accurately controlled settling interval is now provided by the time, after which it is necessary to syphon ofl the water in the receptacle 32 to a predetermined level.

of vacuum or subatmospheric pressure. At this time the lower end of the inlet leg of the syphon is of course below Also, as previously mentioned, the lower end of the discharge leg of the syphon is below the level of liquid in the waste receptacle 52. The air within the interior of the syphon is therefore sealed from atmosphere. When the valve 54 lifts, the air in the syphon is withdrawn and a sufiicient pressure difierential is established to lift the liquid from the receptacle around the upper return bend of the syphon. When sutficient flow has been induced by the application of vacuum to fill or to substantially fill the discharge leg of the syphon, the syphon commences its The continued application of vacuum does not affect the operation of the syphon and when the coil 9 60 is de-energized, the valve 54 closes while the syphon continues its operation until the level of liquid in the receptacle 32 reaches the intake port of the receptacle.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved syphon mechanism in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any ,7 person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the

scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. A syphon system comprising an upper receptacle,

' a lower receptacle, a syphon for syphoning liquid from the upper to the lower receptacle containing liquid, comprising an inverted continuously open U-shaped tube hav- At this time the timer energizes the coil 60 which has the effect of raising the valve 54 so as to connect the discharge leg of the syphon to a source may be integrally formed therewith and which has a coning a suction leg disposed in said upper receptacle and a discharge leg extending into said lower receptacle and having an outlet port beneath the surface level of the liquid contained therein, a source of vacuum, a passage connecting an intermediate portion of said discharge leg below the level of the lower end of said suction leg to the source of vacuum, said passage including a valve chamber above the top of said tube, and a valve in said chamber operable to control said passage.

2. A syphon system comprising an upper receptacle, a lower receptacle, a syphon for syphoning liquid from the upper to the lower receptacle containing liquid, comprising an inverted continuously open U-shaped tube having a suction leg disposed in said upper receptacle and a discharge leg extending into said lower receptacle and having an outlet port beneath the surface level of the liquid contained therein, a source of vacuum, a passage connecting an intermediate portion of said discharge leg to the source of vacuum, said passage having an elevated portion located above the top of said syphon tube, and a valve in said elevated portion 3. In a syphon system, an inverted U-shaped syphon tube having a suction leg provided with an inlet port and a discharge leg having a discharge port below the level of said inlet port, a source of vacuum, a passage connecting an intermediate portion of said discharge leg below a the level of the inlet port in said suction leg to said source of vacuum, said passage comprising a vertically elongated enlarged portion forming a valve chamber, a valve port at the lower end of said chamber located above the top of the syphon tube, a valve movable vertically in said chamber, a magnetic core in the enlarged pontion of said passage, and an electrical winding surrounding the enlarged portion of said passage in which said valve is movable vertically.

4. In a syphon system, an inverted U-shaped syphon tube having a suction leg provided with an inlet port and a discharge leg having a discharge port below the level of said inlet port, a source of vacuum,'a passage connecting an intermediate portion of the discharge leg below the level of the inlet port in said suction leg to said source of vacuum, said passage extending vertically above the top of the syphon tube and including a vertically elongated enlarged portion forming a valve chamber, a valve port at the lower end of said chamber, a valve movable vertically in said chamber, a magnetic core movable vertically in the enlarged portion of said passage connected to said valve, and an electrical winding surrounding the enlarged portion of said passage in which said core is vertically movable, said core and valve being operable by gravity to maintain said valve closed except when said electrical winding is energized.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

